Tigermask wrestlers have had a large following in Japan since the 60’s with the hero Tigermask fighting for orphans. Recently there have been donations made to orphans and disadvantaged school kids in Japan under tigermasks real name ‘Naoto Date’ (link).

Four Japanese tin toy chracters. From L-R 1. National Kid 2. Maboroshi Tante aka Phantom Detective 3. Big X 4. Seven colour Mask Hero. These guys walk when wound up and are made of tin with vinyl heads. Bonus round !! I found it hard to post just the toy without the wonderful box art they come packaged in…

60 cm tall Shogun Warriors relaesed by Mattel under license from Popy in Japan in the 1970’s. These guys were awesome toys when I was young and featured firing fists, shooting stars, axes and missiles. They are getting rarer now days as many robots and especially the firing parts were lost to the ravages of time or were destroyed in battle. From L-R 1.Mazinger Z, 2.Dragun, 3.Daimos 4.Raydeen. They are not the most valuable in my collection of Jumbos but they have the most nostalgic value.

LEFT TO RIGHTBatman: The Animated Series maquette, released in 2004 and based on the 1992 cartoon; Secret Files Batman Rogues Gallery action figure, based on Brian Bolland‘s interpretation of the character, released in 2008; Classic Batman CosBaby mini figure, released in 2009 (Has there ever been a cuter Batman?); figure from DC Direct’s Justice line, based on the art of Alex Ross and released in 2007

Batman, created by Bob Kane in 1939, is the gateway superhero. Many may disagree, and cite Superman, Wolverine or Spider-Man as their introduction to the world of superheroes, but for my money, it’s always been Batman. In the mid-to-late ’60s, the Batman television show with Adam West and Burt Ward entertained with camp and turned on a generation. Twenty-some years later, Tim Burton’s Batman films reinvigorated the character, and, a generation later, Christopher Nolan is doing the same again with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger et al. Perhaps youngsters find the mystery and darkness of the character alluring, or maybe it’s that his origin and impetus for being are so archetypal that, 72 years on, the character thrives. Whatever the reason, Batman is never going away, despite what some story lines would have you believe.